Our mission is to protect, preserve, restore and enjoy the natural environment by creating an awareness and appreciation of birds, other wildlife, and our native habitat through access to our nature preserve and field trips and providing educational opportunities, especially to young people, in Manatee County and the surrounding areas.

Ongoing development of Felts Audubon Preserve 28 acre property for the protection of the birds, other wildlife populations and restoration of their wildlife habitats . Created an endowment which will lead to the permanent maintenance of Felts Audubon Preserve. Helped Eagles Scout candidates provided a handicapped access gate to the preserve and a moveable bridge on a trail through a seasonally wet area as well as informational signs and a bee hotel.

Gave 1600 Children from Manatee County Schools a day at Felts Preserve, our 'Give a Child a Ride to the Wild!' Program. Raised funds to give nearly the entire third grade of Manatee County a Ride to the Wild!

Worked with Junior Audubon, even more Boy Scouts earning Environmental Science, Photography and Bird Study merit badges and assisted a young birder achieve his dream of attending Cornell University.

Continued and grew the Beach Nesting Bird Stewardship Program in conjunction with Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch to educate the general public on the importance of undisturbed nesting sites for shorebirds.

Goals:

Create more ADA accessible areas and pathways in the Felts Audubon Preserve. $5,000

Grow the Barbara Singer Memorial Felts Preserve Endowment Fund to an Amount that will Guarantee the Proper Maintenance of the Preserve. $100,000

Create more ADA accessible areas and pathways in the Felts Audubon Preserve. $5,000

Mount a concentrated attacking on removing invasive plants $2000

Background Statement

Manatee Audubon Society was incorporated in 1953.

In 2002 Otis and Anita Felts bequeathed a 28 acre parcel of land, some of which had been farmed or used for dairy cattle, to the Manatee County Audubon Society. Their dream was that it would never be developed residentially or commercially. As land in Southwest Florida is rapidly being consumed by development, this land is becoming more important than ever as a safe haven for wildlife of many kinds. We are returning the land to a more natural condition using a long-term management plan. In harmony with the natural wildlife habitat, Felts Audubon Preserve is a wonderful place where we are able to provide environmental education for people of all ages.We provide opportunities for the public to reach a better level of awareness of sensitive environmental issues. The Preserve is being used by an abundance of different animals including many migratory birds. Well over 100 species have been seen on the property.

Areas Served

Areas Served

Area

FL

FL- Manatee

Areas Served Comments

We serve Bradenton, Palmetto, Parrish, Anna Maria Island(which includes Bradenton Beach, Anna Maria and Holmes Beach, and the other towns in Manatee County including but not limited to the zipcodes of 34219, 34217,34215, 34209, 34208, 34205, 34221 and 34281. In a general coordinated effort, we in Manatee also serve with the adjacent Audubon chapter in Sarasota County and surrounding areas.

Service Categories

Primary Org TypeEnvironment

Secondary Org TypeYouth Development

Tertiary Org TypeAnimal Related

Statement from the Board Chair/Board President

There are many challenges that face all volunteer organizations and we at Manatee County Audubon Society continue to strive to give 110%. Many of our volunteers give over 500 hours yearly to various projects. Right now in August 2017 we are meeting with other environmentally concerned organizations and individuals to demonstrate to the County Council and Florida Fish and Game the huge dangers in the "Aqua by the Bay" (Long Bar Pointe) development proposal. We have reached out to other Audubon chapters in Florida for help in this effort. Our work with young people is expanding 5 fold increase of children attending our Jr. Audubon Programs in addition to the huge growth of the "Give a Child a Ride to the Wild" Program. We believe that the future of the environment lies in the hands of our children and we're striving mightily to show the importance of a balance between the needs of people and those of the environment

Past president Barbara Singer saw the organization transition from a group of birdwatchers to a vibrant group maintaining a 28 acre Preserve, protecting beach nesting birds, offering classes for Boy Scouts to obtain their environmental badges, developing a program to bring inner city children out to the Preserve and maintaining a Junior Audubon program for children to learn all aspects of the environment. We are now striving to utilize the full educational potential of our members and our preserve.

We have begun the steps to create the financial vehicle needed to assure that Felts Audubon Preserve will have the funds needed to maintain it for all wildlife and the enjoyment of the public.

Statement from the CEO/Executive Director

Manatee County Audubon Society is an all volunteer organization dedicated to the preservation of wildlife and it's habitat through the creation of Felts Audubon Preserve and by developing various environmentally conscious educational programs for both children and adults. We have partnered with Manatee County Natural Resources Dept., Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch, Around the Bend Nature Tours, Anna Maria Island Elementary School and Keep Manatee Beautiful to bring together the educational elements needed to create caretakers of the land going forward. We are ever vigilant in conservation issues and have taken a firm stand in opposition to the Long Bar Pointe Development and Land Trades at Rattlesnake Key and Terra Ceia

Land given to the Audubon Society for preservation of an avian/ wildlife habitat in an area of the country which is rapidly being developed by commercial and residential land developers. 28 acres which were originally farmland include woods, ponds, scrub grassland and mixed areas that provide a safe haven for year-round groups and migratory species of birds and other animals. Progress toward changing the farm land to habitat is ongoing and being performed by a volunteer group .

Budget$15,000

Category Environment, General/Other Environmental Education

Program Linked to Organizational StrategyYes

Population ServedAdults Children and Youth (0 - 19 years) Children Only (5 - 14 years)

Short Term Success

Development of more essential projects to enhance the preserve like the bird blind, walkways over creeks. Creation of more nesting areas, replacement of invasive plant species with native flora that are best suited to the native animals.

Long Term Success

Our hope is that the Preserve will be a stable environment for birds and wildlife and will become a location where the community will be able to see and be instructed in the importance of protecting our wildlife and their habitats.

Program Success Monitoring

Records may be kept of the number of persons that are taking tours, the number of and types of birds seen ,the amount of nesting boxes used , the quantity of persons taking educational classes relating to the animals and their environment.

Program Success Examples

Increases in bird population of specific species like the Buntings, painted and indigo. Sitings of birds and animals who have never been seen in this location before.

Nesting shorebirds return annually to Anna Maria Island. Manatee County Audubon partners with the Anna Maria Turtle Watch in monitoring and protecting these vunerable nesting sites and chicks from the public by maintaining a presence on the beaches. We provide information and long-distance viewing through scopes thus heightening awareness of the presence of the nesting birds. The goal is for the public to become more aware and sensitive to the needs of this threatened population. This is all volunteer staffing; needing a minimum of 24 people each weekend around holidays and ongoing staffing throughout the nesting season.

Budget$2,000

Category Environment, General/Other Environment, General/Other

Program Linked to Organizational StrategyYes

Population ServedAdults Children and Youth (0 - 19 years) Families

Short Term Success

This spring Tropical Storm Debby decimated the populations of nesting chicks and fledglings along the gulf coast beaches. Some parents did renest but certainly, after this destruction of so many baby birds it will be doubly important to protect the 2013 spring nesting population.

Long Term Success

The long-term goal is to have a stable, undisturbed nesting haven for the birds who come to Anna Maria Island surviving in proximity to an increasingly educated population of beach-goers.

Program Success Monitoring

The success of this program will be measurable by the number of nesting sites which produce fledglings that survive to maturity.This will be observed by Manatee Audubon and Anna Maria Turtle Watch jointly.

Program Success Examples

Last year over 200 people stopped during their beach experience to view the nesting birds through the distance viewing scopes we made available. Education about the birds was provided and this (safe) close encounter did engage many in the mission to protect the vunerable chicks and nesting.

DescriptionUsing school buses and guides, transport primary school children to Felts Audubon Preserve for exposure to ecology, the environment and the wild life. See the birds and wild life on nature walks. Play games structured to induce empathy and understanding of animals in the preserve. Target schools having a high percentage of students receiving free and reduce meals.

Short Term SuccessWe will seek feedback from both pupils and teachers who attend the outings. The degree of anticipation of students scheduled to take future trips based on the stories told by the children who have already been will be key. We'll work closely with teacher to assess the impact.

Long Term SuccessVery difficult to assess. We all hope to keep Florida green and wet, but it's a tough battle!

Program Success MonitoringSarasota program currently operates a similar program. Guides have already gained significant experience in this type of endeavor. We plan on using the same guides and similar methods . Again, we'll be working closely with teachers and soliciting feed back on how to improve the trips.

Program Success ExamplesStudent trip reports should provide meaningful feed back as to what was learned, the level of enjoyment and willingness or desire to attend a similar session.

DescriptionAct as Bird Study, Photography and Environmental Science Merit Badge Counselors to the local Boy Scout Districts. Participate in their Merit Badge Weekend Programs. Binoculars are needed for the program.

Budget$2,500

Category Education, General/Other Afterschool Enrichment

Program Linked to Organizational StrategyYes

Population ServedAdolescents Only (13-19 years) Children Only (5 - 14 years) Children Only (5 - 14 years)

Short Term SuccessBy the end of the sessions 90% of the attendees will have completed the requirements to earn their respective merit badges.

Long Term SuccessBoys that earn these merit badges will have a greater appreciation for nature and the environment. With enough youth education eventually the general degradation of the environment will be reduced. We cite the anti litter campaigns of the 60's and 70's of the proof of success of this type of educational efforts.

Program Success MonitoringAnnual assessments of boys completing Merit Badge Requirements coupled with feed back from Scout Masters and event organizers on the effectiveness of the presentations.

Program Success ExamplesIn the two years that this program has been in operation, we've grown the number of boys attending sessions by more than 20% and raise the level of completions from 82% to 90%

Comments

Program Comments by OrganizationAs evidenced by the ongoing destruction of the rookeries at the Oaks in Osprey and Carlos Beruff's lawsuit to put a marina in Long Bar Pointe, conservation is a very difficult battle to fight. Our goal is provide a haven for those who enjoy the outdoors as well as the birds and animals around us and to carry that love for nature to every person we can reach. It is much easier to encourage the love of nature inherent in most children, than it is to try to stop the destruction of habitats once the corporations and profit seeking individuals have their engines in high gear. We strive to promote conservation and education. We worry about the fact that the springs of Florida are flowing at a slower rate every year. We have a deep concern that technology may not be able to overcome bad decisions concerning the world we live in being made every day by local, state and federal governments as well as by individuals. Most of us had an individual in our lives who, by their actions, or their words challenged us to leave each place we visit better than we found it. That is our mission, to leave the Manatee/Sarasota area better than we found it through conservation, preservation and education.

CEO/Executive Director

CEO/Executive Director No Executive Director

CEO Term Start 0

CEO/Executive Director EmailPresident@manateeaudubon.org

Former CEOs/Executive Directors

Name

Term

Senior Staff

Name

Title

Staff & Volunteer Statistics

Full Time Staff0

Part Time Staff0

Staff Retention Rate %N/A

Professional DevelopmentNo

Contractors0

Volunteers75

Management Reports to BoardN/A

CEO/Executive Director Formal EvaluationN/A

Senior Management Formal EvaluationN/A

Non-Management Formal EvaluationN/A

Collaborations

This Chapter has collaborated with other Audubon Chapters such as Sarasota Audubon and Audubon of Florida. Also have worked in conjunction with Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch, Florida Native Plant Society, National Wildlife Federation, the Christmas Bird Count and the Great Backyard Bird Count

External Assessments and Accreditations

Assessment/Accreditation

Year

2012

Awards & Recognition

Award/Recognition

Organization

Year

Monarch Waystation #04505

Monarch Watch

2009

Certified Wildlife Habitat #154255

National Wildlife Federation

2012

Ecosystem Restoration

Florida Native Plant Society

2007

Keep America Beautiful Award

Waste Management & Waste Pro

2009

Earth Defender Award for Wetlands Watch Coalition

National Audubon Society

2008

Best Chapter Conservation Project

Audubon of Florida

2006

The Great Horned Owl Award

Great Backyard Bird Count

2010

Great Egret Award

National Audubon Society

2014

Callison Award

National Audubon Society

2014

Great Egret Award

National Audubon Society

2015

Risk Management Provisions

Government Licenses

Organization Licensed by the GovernmentNo

Plans

Fundraising PlanNo

Communication PlanNo

Strategic PlanNo

Strategic Plan Years

Strategic Plan Adopted 0

Management Succession PlanNo

Continuity of Operations PlanNo

Policies

Nondiscrimination PolicyNo

Whistle Blower PolicyNo

Document Destruction PolicyNo

Directors and Officers Insurance PolicyNo

Policies and ProceduresNo

Comments

Management Comments by Organization

Our organization is 100% volunteer . There are no salaries or monetary compensations.

Governance Comments by OrganizationOne of our greatest challenges is finding younger members that will grow with the organization. Our average age is quite high. We, like many organizations have many more things to be done by volunteers than we have volunteers. If we can grow our endowment sufficiently, we can purchase services and, thereby, free volunteers from routine maintenance and use there talents more for conservation efforts and community education.

Financial Comments by OrganizationWe have raised our sights on both the endowment and our education initiative. We are actively seeking business partners to help us achieve our goals. Our members have been extremely supportive this last year. As with any non-profit, money raising is a real challenge!

Financial Comments by FoundationFoundations and corporations are included with individual contributions as they are not separated in the 990s. Financial figures were taken from the 990s as no audits were provided.

THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF SARASOTA COUNTY, INC. IS A REGISTERED 501(C)(3) NON-PROFIT CORPORATION.
A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER
SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE WITHIN THE STATE (1-800-HELP-FLA) OR FROM THE WEBSITE:
WWW.FRESHFROMFLORIDA.COM.
REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE. ONE HUNDRED PERCENT (100%) OF
EACH CONTRIBUTION IS RECEIVED BY THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF SARASOTA COUNTY. REGISTRATION #SC-02471.

Profiles in The Giving Partner do not indicate endorsement by partner foundations.